Photoresponsive porphyrin-imprinted polymers prepared using a novel functional monomer having diaminopyridine and azobenzene moieties.

A novel photoresponsive functional monomer bearing diaminopyridine and azobenzene moieties was synthesized and applied to the preparation of photo-regulated molecularly imprinted polymers, which can recognize porphyrin derivatives through hydrogen bonding. The binding affinity of the imprinted cavities was regulated by UV irradiation, suggesting that azobenzene groups located inside the binding sites worked as photosensitizers and the trans-cis isomerization could regulate the affinity for the target compounds. Repetitive binding of the target compound to trans-IP and cis-IP was directly monitored by slab optical waveguide spectroscopy and the photo-mediated regulation of binding affinity was successfully confirmed.